Secular Homeschooling

The more I research books such as these, the more resolved I become in my belief that if you did NOTHING else other than read to your child from many, many such books for a year or two, your kiddo would come out on the other end not lacking for much. He or she would have a deep understanding of the world and a firm foundation upon which to build a great life.

Instinctively, I feel that Max’s best learning happens when he reads or when he is read to; I see concepts or ideas click into place and I see him reach out with questions which lead him in directions he wouldn’t normally have gone in. These new paths almost always lead to other treasures and before you know it, an entire web of knowledge has been woven. Reading feeds many parts of his person and satisfies his innate desire to explore. More importantly, though, is the way in which he gets to his destination -via a natural search, one that isn’t imposed upon him, but one in which he goes where he wants to go.

A stimulating, imaginative rollick through humorous or engaging plots and interesting characters fuels all of us, doesn’t it? And what if these plots and characters are infused with the current teachings in science or some other wonderful subject? Sounds like a fabulous mix to me. There are unique authors who seem to understand the absolutely natural way children learn via play and imagination, and who have gone beyond the simple story format into one of serious teaching, albeit in a fun manner. It’s way fun to stumble upon these authors and get your hands on their books!

What I mean by all of this is that it’s feeling more and more comfortable to set the multiplication tables aside and not feel overwhelming guilt about hiding them for the time being. Our energy can be spent embarking upon a broad journey of exploration through books like these, much like applying the philosophy of a ‘Living Math’ approach to other subjects.

Here are some examples of books you might consider adding to your shelves and this time the overriding subject is SCIENCE.

Mr. Hawking and his daughter, Lucy, have teamed up to coauthor two books which help explain the workings of our universe to children. I am looking forward to exploring what Mr. Hawking and Lucy have to say in these two stories! The first one just arrived today; it’s thick and is now gracing the bookshelf, waiting for its turn. From first impressions, these look to be keepers and will be unusual supplements in our science library.

George’s parents, who have always been wary of technology, warn him about their new neighbors: Eric is a scientist and his daughter, Annie, seems to be following in his footsteps. But when George befriends them and Cosmos, their super-computer, he finds himself on a wildly fun adventure, while learning about physics, time, and the universe. With Cosmos’s help, he can travel to other planets and a black hole. But what would happen if the wrong people got their hands on Cosmos? George, Annie, and Eric aren’t about to find out, and what ensues is a funny adventure that clearly explains the mysteries of science. Garry Parsons’ energetic illustrations add humor and interest, and his scientific drawings add clarity; there are also eight 4-page full-color inserts of scientific photos.

George’s best friend, Annie, needs help. Her scientist father, Eric, is working on a space project — and it’s all going wrong. A robot has landed on Mars but is behaving very oddly. And now Annie has discovered something weird on her dad’s supercomputer. Is it a message from an alien? Could there be life out there? How do you find a planet in outer space? And if you could talk to aliens, what would you say?An action-packed roller-coaster ride into a dramatic treasure hunt across the cosmos, this terrific adventure is FILLED with the LATEST scientific knowledge about our universe, including special essays from some of the top scientists in the world!

This paperback contains two books: Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland and Mr. Tompkins Explores the Atom. Mr Tompkins has become known and loved by many thousands of readers (since his first appearance over fifty years ago) as the bank clerk whose fantastic dreams and adventures lead him into a world inside the atom. George Gamow’s classic provides a delightful explanation of the central concepts in modern physics, from atomic structure to relativity, and quantum theory to fusion and fission. Roger Penrose’s new foreword introduces Mr Tompkins to a new generation of readers, and reviews his adventures in the light of current developments in physics today.

Book one in the best-selling Uncle Albert science/adventure series. Uncle Albert and his intrepid niece, Gedanken, enter the dangerous and unknown world of a thought bubble. Their mission: to unlock the deep mysteries of time and space…Discover why you can’t break the ultimate speed barrier, how to become older than your mother, how to put on weight without getting fat, and how to live forever without even knowing it, in this action-packed adventure story.

Book two in the best-selling Uncle Albert science/adventure series. Uncle Albert and his intrepid niece, Gedanken, make some astonishing discoveries when they set out on their next mission: to investigate the universe…Discover, in this adventure story set in deepest space, black holes that swallow up everything, tape measures that shrink when you take them downstairs, speeded-up time, and how it is that you are made of star dust.

Book three in the Uncle Albert science/adventure series in which Uncle Albert explains the physics of the very small.

All of these are on my wish list. Hope you find some of them intriguing and worth searching for!

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If you are looking for fun, quirky and clever materials to make learning fun for kids, homeschooled or not, you've landed in a good place! Come get high on homeschooling with us. Really, it's completely harmless and you'll suffer no untoward effects - you never know what great stuff you might find!